There has been a lot of outcry over several issues relating to iPhone 4 in recent weeks like iPhone 4's antenna problem and also the proximity sensor. One issue though has managed to stay relatively under the radar so far.
Some iPhone 4 users have been noticing poor quality voice output when their phone is paired up with a Bluetooth device.
One of our readers, Greg has written to us about his experience:
"I received my iPhone 4 and paired up my Bluetooth devices. I have two Motorola mono headsets, a Jawbone, a stereo Altec Lansing, and a stereo Motorola Bluetooth. I have tried all the devices and everyone I talk to exclaims they can not understand me. They say the sound is muffled, weak and distorted. If I answer the phone and then connect the Bluetooth device the audio is even worse. I use Bluetooth exclusively and my iPhone 4 is of no use to me. I had to switch back to my 3GS so I can use Bluetooth."
A thread on Apple's discussion board about this issue has been seeing a lot of activity in the past few days. Apparently, folks at Apple Genius bar too have been unable to solve the problem. A forum member from Singapore complains:
I'm having the exact same problem. Ever since iPhone 4 was released in Singapore on 30th July, i've tried in vain to use my Plantronics Discovery 925 with it. This is the same Bluetooth earpiece I used with my previous phone, which was the iPhone 2G
Problems include..
1. Very muffled
2. Distorted signal
3. Dropped calls.
None of this happens when i'm off my earpiece, and it is very frustrating while driving.
Another forum member writes:
"Yesterday, myself & a Genius Bar Tech tested several BT headset brands & two iPhone 4s. We both witnessed that turning the BT headset from OFF to ON durning a call and then switching from phone to BT will cause poor sound quality 100% of the time. He simply said this will have to be something fixed in an a future update."
It is not clear whether the issue is with the hardware or with the iOS. While Greg tells us that he does not face the issue on his iPhone 3GS running iOS 4, some users seem to have started noticing this issue on their iPhone 3GS only after upgrading to the new version of the operating system. Also, while the latest iOS 4.0.2 update does not seem to have fixed this issue, Apple Support staff appear to have however acknowledged the problem and have indicated to a few customers that an update is on the way.
Are you facing similar issues with Bluetooth on your iPhone 4? Tell us your experience in the comments below.
Thanks Greg for the heads up!
Update:
iOS 4.1 will fix proximity sensor and Bluetooth problems
[via Apple Support]
Same problem here with my iPhone… Unable to locate my friends iphone4 even though it's placed side by side. Wanted to play touch hockey via Bluetooth but fail to locate him. Also tried photo share via Bluetooth also failed… Bought my set in Singapore…
Just read these comments after nearly crashing my motor by trying to talk to the mrs on the ip4 speaker because it won't pair up to my Supertooth. Never had one problem with the 3GS, but this unit is a complete failure on so many fronts and I'm surprised a class action hasn't been commenced against Apple. To have paid a premium as well as having no option but to accept an inferior tariff only to find the Emporer had no clothes is a straightforward breach of contract. It's my opinion that too many resources were allocated to iPad at the time of ip4 development. They should simply recall every unit as they're obviously not fit for purpose
There's a video that actually demonstrates the problem:
http://tap4.us/z3e
Hope this will truly be fixed in 4.1!
Me too thought ok the call drops if your holding the phone I'll use a bt I'm cool guess what that's so shttty if I put my hand between the bt and phone itl drop my 2g was working perfect I can't make a call using this damn thing
My wife and I both purchased the iphone 4 (32Gb/16Gb) and have the same problems. It is a very frustrating issue whenever we pair our bluetooth devices with the earpiece or our vehicles. The connection is extremely distorted on the other end of the line; the person is constantly asking me "what do was that?" This is experienced 90% of the time. We also get disconnected from the bluetooth randomly with difficulty pairing up on occasions. We also noticed areas of weak reception with our old phones becomes no reception with the iphone 4. We're great fans of Apple b/c of its reliability and quality but cannot believe the poor QA/QC of this product. Mr. Steve Jobs please get this division in order and fix these issue as they are a complete disappointment to the many faithful owners of Apple products.
I have a Pioneer deck in my car, with A2DP stereo BT and headset profile. The thing works great as speakerphone, but everyone with the same deck I have can no longer use stereo BT after upgrading to ios4.
Don't know if I should blame Apple or Pioneer, as other devices aren't giving me problems, but since it had worked with 3.0 I lean towards Apple.
I'm really hoping 4.1 will fix that problem.
I just purchased a 2010 Infiniti g37x…I have a 3GS…Bluetooth worked perfect on my previous car…I just updated to 4.0.2, and now my Bluetooth is no longer working perfectly..when speaking to someone via Bluetooth, I hear them well, by they say I sound like muffled or they only hear every third or fourth word…and when a second call comes in, I get one ring and I see who's calling and then it goes instantly to voicemail..so I can't retrieve my call waiting calls….like so many others I spend alot of time in my car and live by my Bluetooth….anyone else experiencing these same issues?
I have the same problem. When jogging the music will go in and out.
On my new jawbone icon or Plantronics 975 people tell me they understand every other word.
I took mine to the Apple store and they erased it and I received all contacts from Mobile me. Everything else was starting fresh. This morning I was jogging and same BS. I did a hard reset and it has been better. better for a while then it starts the intermittent stuff again.
Very, Very disappointing
Its worse for me. I cant even CONNECT. My iphone 4 just keep searching FOREVER literally! I left it searching for 8 HOURS(while i sleep) hoping that it will detect my MAC and BLUETOOTH. No! When i woke up it is still searching!
Same problem here — it sounds perfectly fine on my end, but no one can hear me. I live in Cali and we must have a headset. The speaker on teh iphone is not very impressive either while driving so I am hoping this gets fixed — what the h$%^? I miss my blackberry sometimes…
Have you updated your iPhone to iOS 4.1? It resolves these Bluetooth problems.
Spoke to apple tech today who informed me that you cannot bluetooth an iphone with anything other than a bluetooth headset or keyboard. An i phone will not bluetooth with any other phone on the market or any PC. Talk about technology gone backwards. I'd been trying to bluetooth with other phones at work for weeks and had no sucess.Apple won't even give you a refund if its more than 30 days old.
I too am having the same problem with my iphone4 i even went as far as buying the new Jawbone Icon it is a awesome blue tooth and i hope Apple fixes this issue soon i have had all 3 versions of iphone and i would hate to switch phone brands i love the phone and everything about it except for this issue…The ease of syncing it with my Mac book can't believe they make such an great laptop and a phone with a very annoying issue this has gone on way too long.
Dateline October 14, 2010. I also have an iPhone 4 that was purchased from AT&T about October 1st of 2010. I am running iOS 4.1. I was having no call connectivity issues but I was having all the same issues with the bluetooth that are mentioned here. Headsets (I also tried several) would pair and connect only to begin continually disconnecting and re-connecting and I could usually hear my callers but they said I was breaking up or they just couldn't understand me.
Someone in one of the articles I read mentioned rebooting the phone.
In case you don't know, rebooting isn't the same as turning the phone off and on. To reboot you hold down the power button and the home button at the same time. When the power down slider appears, power down. Power back up like normal. I, with nothing to lose, tried this. My bluetooth now seems to be working perfectly. Even better than it did with my 3G phone. I am experiencing no more disconnects and my callers have quit complaining. Admittedly, I have just done this a few hours ago but it seems all is well.
Hope this helps.
Brand new i4, running 4.1, exact same issue. Won't find any BT device I've tried so far. Piece of crap. Going to return it for a Blackberry.
I am having Bluetooth headset issues also with my iPhone 4. I have blue ant Q1 for my car and Motorola H-15 for when I'm home. . Both sound muffled, distorted and disconnects. Never had this problem on my 3GS. Kinda annoying.
I have had a Nokia E61, E61i and E71 and never had any compliants when calling with my Jabra JX20 Pura. The sound quality with the iPhone 4 with that same BT headset is very poor and I get comments on every (!) call I make using the BT headset.
I have iphone4 and have paired Jawbone Icon (latest one), Sound ID 510 (made for iphone4), Plantronics voyger pro, Plantronics 975, and all break up when talking on iphone4. I went to apple store Genius bar flashed the phone back to orig. specs and still the problem. Today I went to Apple store and got new iphone4 with new ios 4.2.1 and still the breakup problems, and now muffled voice in my earpiece. I have used the plantronics on other phones w/out problems. The problem is the iphone4…
I have been experiencing many problems if my iphone 4 staying connected to my bluetooth, a jawbone prime…its very frustrating…i could just be walking outside with the iphone in my pocket & it loses connection…
I have an iPhone 4 with latest IOS. When I purchased I was able to synch my Lexus and iPhone bluetooth with no issues. Actually it was much easier than I thought.
I left the country for 2 weeks and upon my return my phone will not synch up with my Lexus. It says unable to synch with device / cannot find. Anyone been able to figure out the issue?
thanks in advance
My software version 3.1.2 the people I call have been complaining to me that they rarely get what i say because the sound from my side is horible. (poor sound) At times the signal disappears. any help?
I have recently bought a new iphonie 4 and use it with my Jabra BT headset. It is loud and the clearest it has ever been on any of my phones and they have all been great.
The main problem for me is that the voice calling is not disabled until you put in a lock code. This is a stupid feature.
I would also like to be able to turn off BT until I receive a call. Only turning it on when answering a call. Something like a ‘Sync with Headset and Answer call’ button.
my iphone3 paired with my car bluetooth with no problem…cannot get my iphone4 to pair…never get the “my car” option. Any suggestions?
I have had problems with my iphone4 and bluetooth not connecting but other people hearing me when i talk. This is on a jailbreak iphone4 broken with green poison. I finally restored it without a jailbreak and my bluetooth problems went away. I suspect that the jailbreak was the only problem.
i bought iphone 4…i am able 2 switch on d bluetooth bt not able 2 send or receive files frm pc to iphone…please help
I had difficulties to pair my Motorola stereo Bluetooth with my iPhone 4, and after many tries, managed to do it, sometimes it works fine, some times work on iPod but not on calls, some times works on iPod and calls but not on face time, I have latest version of OS 4.3.1, I don’t know what is the problem here.
My iPhone 4 won’t connect to anything via Bluetooth I’m sick of it
My iPhone 4 won’t connect to anything via Bluetooth getting bored with it now
im trying to send my contacts to my new iphone 4 but it wont connect..
very upsetting
Iphone 4 + Plantronics Voyager 510. Thought this combo had issues, now I see I’m a little ahead of the game. The sound quality was only Ok, the range was about 4 feet (or less), messages left on anyone’s phone were garbled, answering using bluetooth was ok, calling impossible (may not have been supported). Just lost my Voyager, not sure what to get next. Probably another Plantronics… we’ll see.
I used to have my iPhone 3G pair and function perfectly with my Garmin nuvi 760 GPS via Bluetooth. However, ever since I upgraded to iPhone 4G the call quality is so bad that it is completly unusable.
SO GLAD I paid big $$ for a car with Bluetooth technology, AND big $$ for an iPhone 4G – only to end up with a phone that doesn’t work with my car. Apple needs to fix this! People have been complaining about this all over message boards for almost a YEAR, still no fix. Ugh.
My Bluetooth on my iPhone4 does not work. It keeps searching and will not find either my Computer or my Jabra phone device. Its in a continuous loop.
Any help?
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i have a iphone 4/ 5 mounths old as of 15.9.2011
it will only pair 4 or 5 times then i have to turn off bluetooth then on and it will pair
i use a parrott ck3100 lcd in built cat kit
i have up dated the soft where to latest
I also have problems with my BT.. Any other phone or PC can’t find me even when it’s written that iPhone4 is discoverable.. And I can’t find anyone’s phone also.. I was using iPhone3 and didn’t have problems with it at all and I was waiting to upgrade my phone, but now I’m disappointed.. I was expecting more from this phone..
Is it possible to communicate between iphone and nokia or other brand mobile phones like nokiaE66. If yes how
Is it possible to communicate by bluetooth between ipone4 and other brand mobiles like nokia e66, if yes how??
After FIVE MONTHS of struggling with garbled sound quality over Bluetooth connections of all types, I finally discovered the solution last night, by talking to an Apple tech. iPhones do not like to be paired with more than one Bluetooth device EVER. I don’t mean “at a time”. Ever. The more Bluetooth devices that are paired with the iPhone over time, the worse the problem becomes. Hence, I was making my own problems worse by buying and trying new headsets. The solution (for me anyway) was to go to Settings, General, Reset, Reset Network Settings. Then re-pair your ONE Bluetooth device of choice. Instant clarity and quality connection achieved in my case. [Of course, you then also have to re-enter your WIFI password (if applicable) because that connection is reset as well.]
I have a problem with my Bluetooth headset.(1)these is noise in it(2)I can hear from e person but the person ,can’t hear from me.kindly let me know the problem,if something could be done about it please